Carpet sweeper latch



Aug.13, 1940. H HBQYE 2,211,533.

CARPET SWEEPER LATCH Filed July 14, 1939 INVENTOR Hans H, e

HIS ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to a certain new improvement for carpet sweepers and, more particularly, to a means for holding the carpet sweeper in a vertical or upright position in relation to the 5 handle when not in use. By such means the carpet sweeper is prevented from rolling from the position to which it is placed, as is now usual.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a, device that is applicable to any make or style of carpet sweeper; and secondly, a device that would hold the housing of the sweeper upwardly so that the sweeper would positively stand where placed; and thirdly, a device that would hold the housing of the sweeper in practically a parallel position with the handle, so that the same could be suspended, like a broom or brush, in the closet or stood up therein, so that it would take a minimum of room yet be always ready for operation; and lastly, to provide a device that is light in weight and easily operated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a latch that is cheap, neat, and easily operated, and that is so attached to the bail of the sweeper that is free from any interference whatever at any and all times with the same, and yet may be brought into engaging position at once.

With the above and other objects in View, it will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement hereinafter more fully described and shown in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a, perspective view of my latch apart from the carpet sweeper;

Fig. 2 is a, View of a slightly different form of my invention applied and showing the sweeper locked in a line with the handle of the sweeper;

Fig. 3 isa like view showing the carpet sweeper ready for use, the latch being in its inoperative position; and

Fig. 4 is a side View showing the latch before it is applied to the bail of the carpet sweeper.

All carpet sweepers have a housing ll], comprising rollers, and the usual revolving sweeper therein; said housing has secured thereto a bail H, which is provided with a socket [2, for the handle 83. The housing of the carpet sweeper may be of any of the old makes or designs, or may be of the latest stream line, as is now more demanded by the housewife. In the present improvement, the latch is shaped of light durable wire that is bent into a loop l4; its free ends have recesses l'5 to receive the bail l I; the ears I6 sweeper from the floor, where it usually drops provide a quick and easy attachment of the same. By so bending-the ends, thusly, it is easily applicable and readily snapped on the bail, one leg of the latch extending on each side of the socket l2 to which the handle is secured. 5 While the opposite or loop end I! is bent downwardly so as to form a latch, said latch may or may not have depressed triggers that may fit in suitable recesses in the housing of the sweeper to hold the same. Such triggers are shown at 20 10 in Fig. 1. From the triggers 20 or terminuses of the curved portions ll (Fig. 4), the bight of the -loop extends outwardly at an angle, as at 18, so

as to form a lift or operating member. The lift or operating member 18 has a, radius slightly 15 smaller than that of the handle so that the loop snugly fits the same when in an upright position, and will remain there until it is desired to be used again, when it is only necessary to use the toe of the shoe to displace it from the handle, as is 20 shown in Fig. 3.

The latch, when in the position shown in Fig. 2, holds the sweeper at any place the operator desires to place it, and by reason of the rollers being free from the floor, as before noted, it cannot roll or fall and is at all times ready for use of the operator. Again, when the latch IT is turned up against the handle 13, as shown, the latch cannot and will not fall except by the desire of the operator. 30

The latch 14 is simple, cheap, and desirable, and may be readily adjusted to any carpet sweeper and will save the housewife the trouble of stooping down to pick up the handle of the when laid aside for a moment. As noted, the 5 bail ll of the .handle I2 constitutes a means for securing the sweeper housing to the handle and also as a means to keep the sweeper in an upright position by reason of the latch l4 being secured thereto.

From the above detailed description of the in: 'vention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure Let- 50 ters Patent for is as follows:

1. In a carpet sweeper of the class described, including a brush housing, a handle, and a bail swingably connecting said housing to said handle, whereby said housing is swingable from an oper- 55 ative position at substantially right angles to said handle to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with said handle; an attachment adapted to hold said housing in its inoperative position, comprising a substantially U- shaped member including recesses on the legs thereof adjacent the free ends of the same detachably and swingably securable to said bail on either side of said handle, and portions detachably engageable with said housing when the same is in its inoperative position.

2. In a carpet sweeper of the class described, including a brush housing, a handle, and a bail swingably connecting said housing to said handle, whereby said housing is swingable from an operative position at substantially right angles to said handle to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with said handle; an attachment adapted to hold said housing in its inoperative position, comprising a member including means detachably and swingably securable to said bail on either side of said handle, portions of said member being detachably engageable with said housing when the same is in its inoperative position, and means on said member engageable with said handle to retain said member in an inoperative position when said housing is in its operative position.

3. In a carpet sweeper of the class described, including a brush housing, a handle, and a bail swingably connecting said housing to said handle, whereby said housing is swingable from an operative position at substantially right angles to said handle to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with said handle; an attachment adapted to hold said housing in its inoperative position, comprising a, member including means detachably and swingably securable to said bail on either side of said handle, portions of said member being detachably engageable with said housing when the same in its inoperative position, said member comprising a substantially U- shaped loop of wire having a bight portion and legs having free ends, said free ends formed to provide recesses comprising said means swingably engageable with said bail, shoulders formed on said leg portions adjacent said bight portion and comprising said housing engageable portions, portions of said legs intermediate said shoulders and said bight portion being adapted to resiliently engage said handle to hold said member in an inoperative position when said housing is in its 0perative position.

4. In a carpet sweeper of the class described: including a brush housing, a handle, and a bail,

swingably connecting said housing to said handle, l'

whereby said housing is swingable from an operative position at substantially right angles to said handle to an inoperative position in substantial parallelism with said handle; an attachment adapted to hold said housing in its inoperative position, comprising a member including means detacliably and swingably securable to said bail on either side of said handle, portions of said member being detachably engageable with said housing when the same is in its inoperative position, said member comprising a substantially U -shaped loop of wire having a bight portion and legs having free ends, said free ends formed to provide recesses comprising said means swingably engageable with said bail, shoulders formed ber from an inoperative to an operative position.

HANS H. BOYE. 

